Jar closure



Jun so, 1931. M, ALGEO 1,812,673

JAR CLOSURE Filed June 6. 1928 Patented June 30, 1931 smea 4 or WAS N N.rr rsrt eme ASSIGNOR o HAZEL-ATLAS GLASS r ar-wa WEST v a r n AOQE-POBATION F ES VIRGINIA.

Jar QLOSURE Application filed June 6, 1928. Serial No. 283,295.

The present invention relates to closures for jars and the like, and hasfor its primary object to provide a closure and fastening means thereforwhich is simple in construction and operation and in which thefastentime as the contents are ing means is designed to be operated soas to provide a two-stage tension for the closure.

In the processing and packing of fruit and vegetables according to themodern methods, it is usual to place the material in glass jars or othercontainers, apply the cover and its fastening means and then cook orprocess the material directly in the containers. Obvious ly, such aprocess requires that means be provided for the escape of steam, gases,etc., especially where a vacuum is desirable. Such means has heretoforeusually taken the form of an automatically operating vent or valvemounted in the closure of the receptacle. These prior devices however,are expensive in manufacture, unsightly in appearance, and generallyinefiicient in operation. Accordingly an object of this inventionresides in the provision of an inexpensive closure fastening means ofpleasing design, which is simple in construction, efficient and durablein operation, which will permit the ready escape of steam orother'vapor's created in the processing of the contained material, andwhich may then be quickly and simply opere o r ly l th ai er until S chbe renewed, r consumption. r V A further object of theinvention is toprovide a closure and fastening means foruse in domestic canning wherethe goods may remain in storage for a considerable period m d inv h itis de r le tha some adjustment be provided for taking care of theweakening of the parts.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of a closureand fastening means which will permit, without alteration, the use ofgaskets of various thickness.

A still further object of the invention resides in provision of aclosure and fastening means of the spring tension type which, by reasonof its peculiar construction, may be continued in use or re-used'evenafter a sub,-

stantial loss of tensionin the fastening means 'ceptacle and closure,

Another object of the invention consists in the designing of a jarclosure having the foregoing advantageous features and in which the topplane of the completed package is entirely flat thereby providing forthe stacking of the containers one upon the other for the purpose ofdisplay.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be aparent from thefollowing description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings,and in which t Figure. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the novelclosure and fastening means in use, the fastening means being shown inits initial position; i, e., the sealing position used duringprocessing.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the device asdisclosed in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the fastening means moved to itssecond or final sealing position.

Re r ing to e wing in mo detail the numeral 1 indicates a jar or thelike suitable for preserving foods and which is provided with a cover 21 Both the receptacle 1 and the cover 2 are here shown as made of glass,but it will be readily apparent that t two-stage fast ning m ans about te described may be used with any type of rewhether of cylindrical orother shape and whether of glass, metal, or other similar material.

The receptacle 1 is preferably provided adjacent its top with an annularshoulder 3 below which is mounted a wire ring 4: to

which are pivotally attached the resilient clips 5. These clips areprovided with an inwardly bowed portion 6 at their upper ends whichterminate in an upwardly directed finger 7 by means. of which the clipmay be moved to itsseveral eperative positions or be. entirely removedwhen the receptacle is to beopened.

Seated on 3 is a gasket 8 of any conventional type, on

which is seated the lower annular edge 9 of the closure 2. This closureis provided with two annular ribs 10 and 11 adapted to providea nularere-e es or beatin sermon l? the upper edge of the shoulder however,

and 13 for the rounded portion 14 of the clip 5.

By an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 it will be apparent that thedistance'between the ring 4 and the bearing surface 12 is sub stantiallyless than the distance between the ring 4 and the bearing surface 13.Therefore, it will be obvious that when the clip 5 has its free end 14seated upon the bearing surface 13 as indicated in Fig. 3, a muchgreater tension will be applied to the cover 2 than when this portion 14is in engagement with the bearing surface 12 as indicated in Fig. 2. Itwill thus be apparent that the construction provides a two-stagefastening means for the closure; the first stage (Fig. 2) providing onedegree of pressure on the closure 2, and the second stage (Fig. 3) applying a substantially greater pressure upon the closure.

In the operation of the device the fresh fruit or other food to bepacked and preserved is placed in the container or receptacle 1 with asufiicient amount of water for the purpose of processing. The gasket 8and closure 2 are then applied to the top of the container and the clips5 moved to engage the annular bearing surface 12 so as to retain theclosure in position with respect to the receptacle. A number of thesefilled receptacles are then placed in a processing tank where the contents is thoroughly cooked. During this cooking or processing of thematerial the pressure of the steam and gases generated within thereceptacles is allowed to escape by reason of the fact that the springclips 5, being in the first sealing stage, will permit the closure 2 torise slightly from its seat but preventing the closure from being blownentirely off of the receptacle. By thus permitting the automatic escapeof the steam or gases generated within the containers during theprocessing, all liability of blowing out the gaskets 8 is eliminated.Just as soon,

as the pressure within the containers decreases the clips 5 will againdraw the closures 2 down into sealing contact with the gaskets 8 andupon the completion of the processing and the cooling of the container,a partial vacuum will be created within the container as will be readilyunderstood. At this stage of the proceedings an operator will then movethe clips 5 to their second stage or position of clamping the closure tothe receptacle, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby placing an increased amountof pressure upon the closure 2 and the packed containers are thusfinally sealed and ready for shipment.

The manner of operation just described has reference more particularlyto the commercial preparation and packing of foods, but it is to beunderstood that the present invention has many advantages in domesticuse. For instance, by reason of the provision of the two differentbearing surfaces 12 and 13 which cooperate with the clip to providedifferent degrees of pressure upon the closure 2, it is permissible touse gaskets of varying degrees of thickness without in any way varyingthe structure or size of the fastening e means. If a relatively thickgasket is to be used then the clips 5 will be placed in engagement withthe first bearing surface 12 as shown in Fig. 2, whereas, if arelatively thin gasket is employed then the clips 5 will be e movedreadily to the second sealing stage, namely the bearing surface 13, asindicated in Fig. 3.

Furthermore, as is will known by those skilled in the art, spring clipsand the like which are commonly employed in fastening closures forcontainers, usually become considerably weakened after being in use fora considerable period of time, such as often be moved to the secondsealing stage, namely 7 the bearing surface 13 (Fig. 3) thereby applyingadditional pressure to the closure and restoring the seal to itsoriginal degree of efficiency.

This same advantage in preserving the usefulness of the closure andfastening means is also of value in permitting the same to be used anumber of times rather than a single use as is now the general practice.For example, if a closure is sealed in the first stage as indicated inFig. 2, and is thereafter opened and the contents used, the receptaclemay again be filled and sealed in an efiicient manner by moving theclips 5 to the second sealing stage as indicated in Fig. 3.

While the clips 5 are shown and described as pivoted to the receptacleand the closure is shown as provided with radially spaced bearingsurfaces for the free ends of the clip it will be readily apparent thatthis arrangement maybe reversed,that is,the clips pivotallyconnected tothe closure and a portion of the receptacle provided with spacedbearingsurfaces for the free ends of the clips so as to provide atwo-stage fastening means.

It is also to be noted that the parts of the closure 2 and fasteningmeans 5 are so designed and proportioned that the upper ends of clips 5when in operative position will be positioned flush with or slightlybelow the top surface of the cap. This feature of the design is ofimportance in that it presents a smoothhorizontal surface at the top ofthe completed package, and by reason of which the Jars may be neatlystacked in superimposed rows for the purpose of display as in storewindows and the like.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be apparent that I have devised a Sim-- ple andinexpensive construction of jar closure and fastening means therefor,which is especially useful in the processing of fruit, vegetables, andother edibles in that it provides for the escape of steam and the likein processing, and for a final seal of the closure by a simplemanipulation of the clips. It will also be apparent that the presentinexpensive construction of closure and fastening means provides for theuse of gaskets of vary ing thickness Without any variation in the sizeor construction of the clips or covers, and also by reason of thetwo-stage sealing means the life of the jar and its fastening means isgreatly prolonged.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I nowbelieve to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, but thestructure as disclosed on the drawings and as described in thespecification is intended merely as illustrative of the invention and itis to be understood that the structure as disclosed is susceptible ofvarious minor changes in details of construction, and all such changesor alterations are intended to be included within the scope of theclaims appended hereto.

Having fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. A receptacle, a closure therefor, means for securing the closure tothe receptacle, said means being radially movable to increase indistinct steps the pressure on said closure.

2. A receptacle, a closure therefor, resilient means for securing theclosure to the receptacle, said means being radially movable to vary indistinct stages the tension on said closure.

3. A receptacle, a closure therefor, and a radially movable, two-stage,fastening means for said closure.

4. A receptacle, a closure therefor, a plurality of spring clipsattached to one of said elements, and radially spaced bearing surfaceson the other of said elements, whereby the tension on said closure maybe varied.

5. A receptacle, a closure therefor, a plurality of spring clipsattached to one of said elements, concentrically arranged ribs on theother of said elements and adapted to provide bearing surfaces for thefree ends of said clips.

6. A receptacle, a closure therefor, a plurality of springclipspivotally attached to one of said elements, and a plurality ofconcentrically arranged ribs on the other element adapted to provide aplurality of bearing surfaces for the free end of each clip.

7. A receptacle, a closure provided with a plurality of concentricallyarranged grooves,

said grooves.

' ALBERT M. ALGEO.

